Tips, Tricks and Tickets
Welcome back and thank you for your patience. If you haven’t checked out part 1 of this travel series please do so now. Click here to read part 1. Thank you 🙂
I know I left you guys hanging last time so let’s dive right in. As you all maybe aware and if you’re not, have you been living under a rock?, travelling has undergone drastic changes in the last two years. These changes were a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, though I am questioning some of the travel rules still in place **cough cough Canada **cough cough Cayman Islands. Regardless of my opinion, the rules and regulations are being enforced and if you want to travel, well, they need to be acknowledged and followed.
Travelling to Cayman Islands in December 2021 was tedious, frustrating and downright
annoying. The country’s rules at the time were over the top and confusing. I won’t get into my displeasure about their handling of travel rules and restrictions but I wish I had
a blog that prepared me for the chaos that ensued. But never fear, Super Julz is here!
Tips, Tricks and Tickets:
Pandemic environment
Before travelling the first thing you need to think about is the pandemic environment.
You need to consider these questions
Is there a new variant?
If there is, have we peaked?
Are their massive flight cancellations?
Is the country I am in on lock down mode?
Are cases on the rise?
These are relevant questions you need to ask yourself. While you maybe eager to travel, the last thing you want is to be trapped in a country with no way home. Then there are the expenses that you will likely incur if such is the case. While one cannot predict when a new variant will strike, it is better to be safe than sorry. Weigh the pros and cons and most importantly listen to your gut.
Travel rules and restrictions
The next thing you want to do is check the travel rules and restrictions for the country you live in and the one you intend to visit. The rules usually include vaccine policies, quarantine rules, travel certificates and COVID testing. The Cayman Islands, when I travelled in December required a travel certificate, travel insurance or attestation that you will be responsible for your health expenses in the case of hospitalization and a PCR test taken within 72 hours. They also had varied rules for vaccinated and unvaccinated travelers which I will cover in another bullet point.
Passport
This is a given, you cannot travel to most if not all countries without a valid passport. Check the passport requirements for the country(s) you intend to visit. Some countries require six months to a year of travelling time in your passport. For the case of Cayman Islands you are allowed entry as long as your passport will not expire by the time you are stated to leave.
Visa
This is really important. Visa requirements vary based on the passport you hold and the country you are visiting. Please check the intended country’s website for visa rules. Canada has one of the most powerful passports in the world which allows passport holders to enter most countries without a visa. There are also rules for resident/green card holders who hold a passport from a different country. Such was my case. I am a Canadian permanent resident card holder with a Jamaican passport. Travel rules in Cayman Islands for Jamaican passport holders stipulates that I need a visa. However because I am a permanent resident card holder and travelling directly from Canada, I was not required to present a visa. The only stipulation was that I stayed no more than thirty days.
Plane ticket
Travelling is a mess and can prove quite costly. At the beginning and middle of the pandemic I knew a lot of persons battling with airlines to get a refund. Countless hours listening to that annoying waiting room music just to speak to a heated body. The stuff of nightmares. Some airlines have now adopted a looser policy by allowing travelers one free change but not the majority. That being said, while the cheaper flight may look enticing and will initially save you money, you might just end up paying for that decision if things go south. In the world of plane tickets, airlines and COVID, things go south pretty quickly on a regular basis. Spend the money on the more costly flight for peace of mind. In September when Cayman Islands reneged on their decision to fully open, airlines started re-routing and cancelling in mass. I had a flight with American Airlines that was rerouted to include a 12 hour layover. It took persistence, some choice words and threats to get a refund. The anxiety and stress was not worth it. So select that price that has free cancellation with no penalty up until departure.
Hotels
Hotels are a lot more flexible when it comes on to refunds and cancellations. Most hotels have a 48 hour cancellation policy without penalty. However you still want to ensure that the hotel you are staying follows proper health and safety protocols. You also want to ensure that you can afford that hotel if (God forbid, knock on wood) you test positive for COVID and will have to stay an extra 5 or 10 days. Fortunately for me I didn’t have to stay in a hotel while in the Cayman Islands.
PCR Test/COVID Test
Most countries require a negative COVID test taken within 24-72 hours of boarding time. There are a host of COVID tests with the most popular being the PCR Test and the Rapid Antigen Test. Most countries require one or the other and the latter is the cheapest. A PCR test can run you anywhere from $100-$500 dollars while a rapid test you can get for free or $10-$40 dollars. Canada and the Cayman Islands (as of right now - February 15, 2022 when I wrote this blog piece) requires all travelers to present a negative PCR test taken within 72 hours. This may change as countries move to a “learning to live with it” phase of the pandemic. If you know basic math (addition and subtraction) then you’ve realized that COVID tests alone will run you hundreds, costing even more than your airfare. It gets significantly worse and costlier for families. While it may seem trivial the cost for COVID test for a single traveler to the Cayman Islands from Canada and back can cost $200-1000 dollars. Let that sink in before you book your next vacation.
Vaccine Certificates and Quarantine Rules
As you would imagine travel rules are different for vaccinated and unvaccinated persons. For most countries vaccinated persons with a negative COVID test do not have to quarantine or if they do the time in isolation is minimal. However unvaccinated persons may have to quarantine upon arrival even with a negative test. Quarantine times vary from 5-14 days. Additionally, unvaccinated persons maybe subjected to on arrival testing, exit testing and while in isolation testing. Some counties have passed a mandate that only vaccinated persons can board an airplane. It is pertinent to check the rules regardless of your status. Cayman Islands, when I was travelling in December 2021 had varied rules for vaccinated and unvaccinated persons. The country had several rules for “securely verifiable” vaccinated persons and unverifiable vaccinated persons.
>>>>Securely verifiable - Fully vaccinated persons in possession of a QR code type of vaccine passport that can be scanned and verified online. Travelers with this type of vaccine document along with a negative COVID test are not subjected to quarantine rules. However these persons will have to do a day 3, 5 and 10 lateral flow test while on the island. I know what you’re thinking so I won’t say it. Ridiculous!
>>>>Unverifiable- Fully vaccinated persons that do not have a vaccine passport that can be scanned and verified online. The quarantine rules become even more cumbersome for those who fall under this category. You do not have to quarantine if you are travelling from a country that has a 60% rate for first dosage. However if you are travelling from a country with less than 60% (most third world and poorer countries) you have to quarantine for 10 days with day of arrival being 0. Yes you read that correctly. You’re disadvantaged because you happen to live in a country other than UK, US or Canada.
I won’t even get into the rules for children and how that affects parents. More information can be found here.
Travel certificate
Some countries require travelers to have a travel certificate or declaration to enter the country. These can be filled out online and are usually approved within minutes or up to 10 days. If a country requires such a document you will not be able to board the airplane without it. These are the countries I know require such a document:
>>>>Canada - All travelers must fill out ArriveCan. You upload all your information and after completion you instantly get a receipt that you must show at each entry point. Click here for more information
>>>>Jamaica - Online application which grants permission to travel to the island. It is recommended for non-residents to fill and submit the form 5-7 days before travel as the applications are approved manually. Residents are usually approved immediately.
>>>>Cayman Islands - Also an online application and must be filled out by all travelers and approved in order to board an aircraft to the country. If you have a securely verifiable vaccine passport you get the travel document in minutes of completing the form. For those who don’t fall under this category it is recommended to submit an application 10-14 days before intended travel as applications are approved manually.
Quarantine plan
Make sure you have a quarantine plan. Most travel certificates require this information, however this is important should you test positive while vacationing.
Contingency plan
Can’t stress this enough. Have plans B,C,D and even E and F when travelling during this climate of testing, rules, restrictions and COVID itself. Also have a contingency fund which I deem is possible the most important part of any contingency travel plan these days.
Travelling during a pandemic should be considered an extreme sport with medals and anthems. It takes courage, determination, perseverance and whatever else the Nike or Adidas ad usually says.
Thank your for reading. I hope I made travelling a bit easier for some of you or at least made you a bit more inclined to plan for uncertainty.
Next time we look at my experience in the Cayman Islands - oh the drama!
Julz out!!
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